The long term goal of this research is to study synthetic and mechanistic aspects of metal-catalyzed C-H and N-H bond activation reactions. Transition metal-catalyzed C-H and N-H bond activation reactions are powerful synthetic methods for forming a wide variety of natural products and pharmaceutical agents. For example, transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond activation reaction can directly introduce heteroatom functional groups to unreactive hydrocarbons under environmentally benign conditions. Transition metal-catalyzed hydroamination reaction is a highly effective method for forming amine compounds in an atom-economical fashion. Furthermore, asymmetric version of the hydroamination reaction has high potential for stereoselective formation of nitrogen compounds. The paramount challenge for these catalytic reactions is to design metal catalysts which are applicable to the synthesis of a variety of natural products and pharmaceutical agents. The major objective of the proposed research is to study the synthetic and mechanistic aspects of the ruthenium-catalyzed C-H bond activation of amines and hydroamination reactions. This research seeks to gain the reaction mechanisms for catalytic C-H bond activation of amines and hydroamination of alkenes by employing well-defined ruthenium complexes. The proposed research will provide new catalytic methods for the synthesis of anticancer drugs and anti-inflammatory agents. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]